SUMMARY
This was an emphatic performance by the home side, which was never really in danger once they rattled on 5/378, Australia's third-highest 50-over score. New Zealand won the toss and sent the home side in, a decision which started to look dodgy pretty early on, Australia 1/213 at one stage with Warner on fire and Smith again in great touch. Warner's ton was the highlight, but Smith ended with 72, Head another impressive 50 and Mitch Marsh cutting loose at the end with 76 not out from just 40 balls. New Zealand had a brief flicker of hope when Martin Guptill exploded at the start of the innings. Even after he went for 45 the Kiwis were still not without the faintest of hopes, and Jimmy Neesham and skipper Kane Williamson batted well for a 125-run stand, but they too fell in the pursuit of an ever-climbing run rate and that was pretty much that, NZ losing their last six wickets for just 33. Significantly for Australia, Pat Cummins bowled beautifully, finishing with 4/41, an encouraging effort from the injury-plagued paceman. A convincing win for th home side, which takes the series, with the third match in this series at the MCG on Friday now for pride only.
Wicket!
That's it! Watling holes out to Warner in the covers off Faulkner's bowling, and Australia romps it in by 116 runs, to claim the series with one game still to play.
Belated boundary
Watling still having a crack, hits Hazlewood over the top of cover for four. Can NZ at least see out 50 overs? There's 20 balls left in the match.
Wicket!
Four for Cummins! Shortish and Henry can't resist, swipes it to mid-wicket, where Faulkner takes a comfortable catch inside the rope. 4/39 for Cummins, really encouraging performance from him.
We need a mercy rule
Henry and Watling just swinging and missing repeatedly now, Cummins and Starc have just missed the pegs about half-a-dozen times. They survive for now though, it's 8/251 with five overs left after this one from Starc. He finishes his stint with 2/51.
Back to topWicket!
Going like ninepins now! Southee has a wild cross-bat slog at Cummins and just bunts it up in the air to mid-on, where Bailey takes the simplest of catches. 8/243 now, NZ have lost 4/14. Good perfomance from Cummins, he has 3/35 off eight.
Wicket!
Santner's stumps are rattled! Nice full length from Starc, he plays all over it and the ball cannons into middle and leg. Last rites time, NZ 7/236.
Wicket!
Williamson's gone! Cummins has a second scalp with the skipper, shortish and slower, Williamson tries to force the issue but mistimes and hits it to Dave Warner in the covers. The little man takes it easily, and NZ's last hope is out, for 81 from 80 balls, five fours and two sixes. Really kept them in it, along with Neesham, but all hope lost now.
Wicket!
De Grandhomme is gone, Starc coming around the wicket is full, batsman tries to steer it away but gets a thickish edge and the much-criticised Wade takes a pretty decent catch behind the pegs. 5/229 now and the required rate is 13.23. She's just about done, folks.
And six more
Not sure what world record for sixes in a 50-over international is, but we've got to be giving it a nudge here. Williamson belts Faulkner over mid-wicket again, make that 18 sixes. The skipper's up to 75, been a very good hand.
Back to topSix more
De Grandhomme hits out, clouts Faulkner over mid-wicket for six. He's taken a pounding Faulkner, now with 1/56 off seven. That, incidentally, is the 17th six of this game! Cummins back on for a second spell now, replacing Hazlewood.
Wicket!
Faulkner's luck finally turns! Munro tries to hit one down the ground, but it's too short for that, and all he succeeds in doing is popping it up to mid-on where, after a bit of a wait, Mitch Marsh completes the catch. NZ looking down the barrel now, 4/191
Another boundary for Munro
Very thick edge through the vacant second slip region off Hazlewood, and third man isn't going to get there. Meanwhile run rate continues to creep up, over 11 per over required now.
Good start!
Six for Munro. Takes a single to get off the mark, gets the strike back, is beaten but then belts Faulkner over mid-on. Proving expensive, he's gone for 43 from just five overs!
Wicket!
That's big! Neesham is gone! Tries to put Hazlewood over the top, miscues it and it pops up in the air pretty comfortably for Mitch Starc at mid-off. Massive breakthrough, and massive blow for the Kiwis. Great knock, Neesham's 74 came from just 83 balls with seven fours and a six. Colin Munro is the new batsman.
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Fifty for Williamson
A half-century for the skipper now. Whips Head away to deep square leg for a single and reaches the milestone from 57 balls with three fours and a six. Required rate is now 10.54 but while there's wickets in hand, there's still some sort of hope.
That helps...
Head drops short, Neesham rocks back and pulls him for four. The 100-run partnership is up, at least this pair have kept NZ remotely in the hunt, will have to be an all-out assault soon, though.
Heading them off
Head back into the attack now for Marsh, bowled a tidy little spell earlier, can he back it up? The run rate has crept up again over 10 per over now, too .
Tough stuff by the Kiwi
Fair bandage on Neesham's right forearm now but he's soldiering on. Points for courage!
Ouch!
That hurts! Neesham takes a fearful whack on the right elbow from Starc, thought it was going to lift more, ducks into it and gets him right on the point. Getting some treatment out on the ground, but that's going to swell badly you'd think.
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